


Wild Heart

by ChippedCat



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Bow's Siblings (mentioned), Canonical Character Death, Drabble, F/M, Family Fluff, Feral Catra AU, Found Family, Minor Character Death, Minor Main Character Injury, Queen Glimmer (She-Ra), RIP Angella, Right-Hand Man Bow, but its the antagonist, closely follows canon, weekly challenge fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:55:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29485620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChippedCat/pseuds/ChippedCat
Summary: There's a secret deep in the Woods who only Bow can call upon
Relationships: Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 42





	1. The Guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Whispering Woods has many secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are no Magicats in the Horde

The Guardian

It was supposed to be a simple mission. But things don’t always go the way they’re planned. Sometimes they go worse. Sometimes they go better. Sometimes they just go differently.

That’s how Glimmer met The Cat.

Bow and Glimmer dashed through the Whispering Woods, Bow leaning heavily on Glimmer to keep weight off his leg. The Horde soldier, the only one brave enough to chase the duo into the Woods, is still on their tail. He is faster than them and uninjured. It wouldn’t be long now.

“It hurts.” Bow grimaced when a low branch hit his leg.

“I know. I know it does. I’m sorry. We’re just gonna have to wait this one out, okay? We’re almost home. Everything is gonna be fine, I promise.” Glimmer swore, trying to pick up the pace and lamenting how she hadn’t counted her teleports. Bow groaned at the new speed.

“We can’t keep this speed up.” He reasoned weakly.

“Don’t say that. We can do this. We’re almost there.” Glimmer repeated.

“My leg….”

“I know, Bow. But you have to power through. We just need to make it out of the Woods and into Rebellion territory.” They had to be close now. Sure, time in the Woods was always wonky, but they had been running for so long. They _had_ to be near the edge.

Footsteps pounded behind them, the soldier getting ever closer.

“Almost there.” Glimmer gritted her teeth. She had to believe that they were close, or she wouldn’t be able to keep going.

“Glimmer…”

“Bow, please shut up.”

“Glimmer, I need to stop.”

“We stop, we die! Do you want to die?” Glimmer growled, readjusting Bow’s arm over her shoulder.

“Clearly not, but I can’t keep going. I need a break.”

“There’s no time.”

“You need a break too. You’re going to hurt yourself.” Bow argued gently.

“I can do this. Let me do this.”

“Please, Glimmer-”

“No!” Glimmer turned her head to look Bow dead in the eye.” It’s my fault this happened, so I need to fix it! I need to-”

Glimmer tripped on a root, and the two tumbled onto the ground, panting.

“Get up, get up,” she repeated to herself, trying to stand despite her exhaustion. Bow propped himself up into a seated position and hesitantly touched his injured leg.

“Just stay down for a minute. We need rest.” He encouraged.

“We can’t stop here.” Glimmer got up one leg before it trembled and collapsed from under her. Maybe rest wasn’t such a bad idea.

“We’re not going to make it out of the Woods in this condition. We have to take a break.”

The bushes rustled. Their pursuer was here.

“Horde!” Glimmer yelled as the Horde soldier burst out of the foliage and discovered them. His armor has some scratches from low-hanging branches but he still seemed to be in much better condition than the Rebels.

“Well, well, well.” He chuckled, voice revibrating slightly in his helmet. “Look at what I’ve caught. A couple of little kids in the deep dark woods.”

“You’ll never take us alive!” Glimmer threatened, still sprawled on the ground catching her breath.

“Glimmer!” Bow reprimanded.

“I don’t see you two fighting me off. In fact, I don’t think you can even run anyway more in your condition. What a shame. For you.” The soldier walked closer, pulling out his shock baton. “I, on the other hand, am definitely getting a raise for this.”

“Good luck catching us. We bite.” Glimmer tried, dragging herself away as the soldier approached.

“I wasn’t planning on catching you. The Queen of Brightmoon and the Rebellion captain are the kinds of targets you kill on sight. No reason to capture you and risk you escaping.” It was an excellent point and Glimmer was unhappy about that.

“Help! I’m in distress!” Bow started yelling. The soldier chuckled.

“We’re in the Woods, kid. No one around for miles.”

“HELP!” Bow called louder.

“You’re annoying me. You can go first.” The soldier lifted his baton, and a branch above him groaned. Bow stopped yelling and set his eyes right above the soldier’s head. “What, no witty last words for me?”

Bow didn’t get the chance to answer. A tan blur leaped out of the trees onto the soldier, clawing him. He screamed in surprise, throwing the attacker off and clutching at his torn up shoulder. The creature rolled several times and then skidded to a stop, crouched in an attack position. It was a cat, but unlike any Glimmer had seen. It looked like a person at first glance, having a human build and wearing a tattered Horde uniform, but was clearly covered in fur and didn’t carry itself like a person did.

The cat attacked again, this time lunging at the soldier’s neck, and Glimmer glanced over at Bow, trying to gauge whether he could run if this thing turned on them next. Bow was sitting with his jaw on the ground, watching the fight. Glimmer just hoped she wouldn’t have to carry him.

“Get off me!” the soldier cried, twirling in a circle and grabbing at the cat. It sunk its teeth into his neck, clawed the helmet off his head, and dug its feet into his waist. The terrified look on the soldier’s face was painful to look at, even more than the wounds covering his body, as he sank to the ground, words turned to gurgles. 

The cat released him and jumped off as blood leaked from the soldier’s mouth and his eyes glazed over. The cat turned to them, and Glimmer put up her fists. She couldn’t fight the thing off but could at least intimidate it a little.

Bow reached out a hand and pushed her fists down. 

“Thank you,” he said simply. The creature regarded them both for a moment before nodding to Bow. It then vanished into the brush without even rustling it, scampering back into the wilderness.

“What just happened?” Glimmer whispered.

“You just met The Cat,” Bow told her, staring at where their savior had disappeared. “My sister.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this makes no sense, well, it's not supposed to yet! It's supposed to be mysterious.
> 
> There is more to come from this AU, including some bits and pieces about her and Bow's childhoods as well as how different this world is and why Catra isn't a Horde soldier (hint, someone's missing). I'm planning a trilogy, just like with my other AU series, so stay tuned!
> 
> As always, I really appreciate comments and kudos, so leave me some love! Hope you liked the story!


	2. The Last One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bow comes to know the last of the Magicats

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somebody is missing

The Last One

Bow doesn’t remember much about the day Halfmoon fell. All he knows is that his dads and some of his more mature brother were upset. An entire culture, a whole society of living breathing people, were suddenly gone. It was unlike anything that had happened in the War so far; even when the Horde took over the Scorpion Kingdom they kept the civilians alive and enlisted them. But no, Halfmoon was completely razed and no survivors left.

That’s what everyone thought.

With time, Bow came to learn how wrong that was. He came to know the last of Halfmoon’s people.

“Oh!” Bow picked up a rock in his little toddler hands, admiring it. He grinned happily and tucked it into his pocket before continuing down the trail. He had to be fast, or his dads would realize he’d snuck out and try to find him. “And this one too!” But there were just so many cool things in the Woods! He had to see them all.

“I really should head back….” Bow bit his lip and hovered his hand over the nice rock. If he turned around now, he could be back home in just a few minutes. George and Lance had probably not noticed he was gone yet. He could pull this off-

There was a noise in the brush right off the path. Bow yelped and straightened his back, abandoning the rock. He knew there were dangerous creatures out in the forest, that’s why his dads never let him wander freely, but he didn’t think he would run into any.

Something hidden yowled and Bow took off in a run toward the house. Frantic footsteps followed him as he dashed down the path, thoughts of pretty rocks or even getting away with sneaking out forgotten. He scaled the tree, dove back into his bedroom, and slammed his window shut, cutting himself off from the threat.

After some deep breaths, Bow hesitantly looked out the window to see if he could spot his would-be attacker. All he saw was a pair of mismatched eyes peering out from behind a tree before they disappeared back into the wilderness.

Bow didn’t sneak out again for a while after that.

Yet, the curiosity of children is insatiable and some weeks later, he snuck out again. This time, he was prepared for any critters getting too close for comfort. He had stolen an old antique bow and arrow from his brother Axe’s room and, while he didn’t know how to use it, he figured it couldn’t be that hard. Hopefully, the mere presence of a weapon would scare off anything eyeing him for dinner.

Bow walked along the path his family used when they needed to go into town, though he didn’t plan on going that far, and admired the beauty all around him. Pretty rocks, blooming flowers, the occasional cute animal, and all the non-threatening denizens of the Woods.

“See? No scary things here.” Bow assured himself. “Besides, I’m a big boy now. I can’t be afraid of the Woods. I live in them.”

Even with all his reassurance, every little bush rustle and twig crack made him jump out of his skin. He was scared of the monster that came at him last time. What if it was still out here?

As if to answer his unasked question, leaves rained down on Bow as he stopped to admire a mushroom. A branch from the tree above him cracked quietly, and he felt a shiver of fear run up his spine. Ever so slowly, he looked up, but nothing was there.

“Oh, thank goodness.” He sighed, standing up and turning back to the path, only to see it blocked. A cat was crouched on the trail, watching him. But it wasn’t like the cats in Bow’s books. This one was almost as big as he was, had long, humanlike limbs, and wore some sort of torn robe. “H-Hello.” he gulped. The cat just blinked at him.

“Could you move, please?” he tried. It hadn’t attacked him, so maybe it just wanted something. Still, it had those mismatched eyes that Bow saw every time he blinked since his encounter weeks ago. It had to be the same creature. “Please?”

The cat straightened out and started to walk on all fours towards him. Bow scrambled backward, running his back into a tree.

“Stay back!” he moved onto threats. “I have a weapon!” he pulled an arrow out of his quiver but couldn’t get the bow to unhook from its holster.

The cat continued towards him.

“I’m warning you!” it stopped, its face just inches from his, and pulled something from the pocket of its ripped clothes.

It dropped a small stone in his lap and stalked backward, giving him space. Bow hesitantly picked up the rock and saw it was the same one he was admiring weeks earlier.

“Did- Did you save this for me?” Bow asked, fear slowly leaving him. If that cat wanted to attack him, it would have. The creature nodded. “Thank you. That’s very thoughtful.” He tucked the arrow back into the quiver.

The cat shook its mane and headed for the edge of the path. “Wait!” Bow called. It, she Bow realized was probably more appropriate, turned her head. “I don’t have anything for you.” When someone gives you a gift, it's best to return the favor. He felt his pockets frantically and came across a biscuit he had saved from his breakfast in case he got hungry.

He held out the biscuit, and the cat galloped back to him. In seconds, she was standing in front of him again. She was fast when she wanted to be.

“Here. This is for you.” he waggled the food a little, and the cat snatched it with her hand and stuffed it in her mouth. “That’s not how you eat that!” Bow frowned indignantly. The cat blinked again.

“You say thank you and then you take a reasonable bite.” He crossed his arms. The cat frowned back at him and hissed, spraying him with biscuit crumbs. Oh yeah. He was talking to a wild animal. He almost forgot for a moment.

“Okay, okay, do what you want. I’m just saying, at my dinner table, that behavior is unacceptable.” Bow held up his hands in surrender. The cat stopped hissing and swallowed her biscuit. She then sat on her haunches and stared at him. “What, don’t you know about family dinners?”

The cat shook her mane again.

“You don’t? That’s so sad.” Bow clutched his face with his hands. “I guess scary wild animals don’t have families. Or dinner tables.” The cat continued staring. “You don’t have much to say, do you?”

The cat meowed at him. “Guess not.” Still, he stayed there on the ground, talking idly to the creature as she simply watched him with apparent interest. He sat for some time before remembered he had a family dinner to go to, even if this cat didn’t.

“I should go.” Bow stood up abruptly, and the cat took several steps back, ears pinned back and hair puffed up. He only then realized just how much taller he was than her, especially since she stayed on all fours. “Whoa, whoa, it’s okay. I’m just leaving.” She calmed slightly, hair falling down. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he promised, entirely meaning it. The cat was adorable, and even though she scared him last time he was in the Woods, he didn’t think she had meant to. She seemed like she might be nice, even.

“I’ll see you again, okay? I feel like you’ll be able to find me.” he smiled. She hesitantly approached again and nuzzled against his pockets. “Oh, you want more food? I can do that.” He promised, heading down the path back home.

“It was nice meeting you!” he called over his shoulder, jogging lightly to make it home faster. He heard the trees creak and knew she was going back to where she came from.

A week later, when Bow wasn’t able to sneak out with food, the cat showed up at the Library, and Bow had a lot of explaining to do.

* * *

“I’m thinking of leaving home.” Bow admitted, perched on a branch watching the sunset with The Cat. George and Lance named her Elizabeth when she first started appearing at the Library, but she wasn’t fond of the name, so Bow didn’t bother using it.

“Mrow.” Cat chirped in reply.

“They don’t have to know. I could just tell my family I’m going to boarding school and they won’t even miss me.”

Cat raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, fine, that sounds terrible.” Bow crossed his arms. “But I just don’t think they can accept who I am. I’m a warrior, a helper. You taught me that.” Cat had become a project after he realized she lived alone in the Woods with only caught animals for food, but through helping her, he had found his purpose. He could never be a historian after discovering his true calling. He wanted to make a difference in the world and couldn’t do that cooped up in the Library.

“What do I do? There’s no good answers.” Bow sighed, running his hands over his face. Cat nudged his shoulder and meowed again. She then pointedly tapped the glass-frames he wore.

“No, I can’t-” he started, but Cat raised an eyebrow. “I…. you’re right. I have to be honest. I’ll just tell them who I am, and if they don’t accept me – oh no, what if they don’t accept me?” Bow threw his arms in the air and lost his balance. Cat casually grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him back onto the branch. “Thanks.” She snorted in response. No thanks needed, apparently.

“This is all so complicated.” He admitted. “I wish I could talk to my brother about this, but they’re all historians. They can’t relate to me or help me. They might judge me too if I told them.” He turned away from the sunset and looked at Cat, who watched the sky with intense interest despite seeing this same view nearly every day.

“At least I have you, though. What would I do without you?” he chuckled. Without looking away from the sunset, she pointed at the ground. “Oh right. Fall to my death. I’m really glad I have you.”

That got a rare laugh out of her.

“You could come with me, you know.” Bow offered after a moment of comfortable silence. “You basically work for the Rebellion anyway.” Soldiers went missing in the Whispering Woods constantly and Cat always showed up to the Library with a scratched up Horde uniform on. It wasn’t hard to put the pieces together.

Cat looked away from the sky and sighed, staring at her feet.

“I mean, the Rebellion is made up of the good guys. They’d accept you.” It was a promise Bow was confident in but knew he wouldn’t have to keep. Cat pinned her ears back and shook her head. “Right. I didn’t think you would go for it. I know how you feel about people.”

“I’ll miss you. So much, every single day.” Bow assured The Cat. She smiled a little and punched his arm, looking back up at the sky. “Yeah, yeah, I know you’ll miss me too.” The sun finally dipped below the tree line.

* * *

“I’m so excited to meet your family!” Glimmer grinned as they walked through the Woods. “I’ve heard so much about them and I just can’t wait to put names to faces.”

“Lance and George are excited to see you, too. I’m half-convinced they think I made you up.” Bow chuckled.

“Castaspella was sure I made you up before I took you to Mystacor.” Glimmer rolled her eyes with a laugh. “I swear, my whole family thinks I’m antisocial.”

“You’re not overly social.”

“Excuse you, I happen to be an extroverted butterfly.”

“That’s not the expression.”

“Says you.” Glimmer crossed her arms. “Anyway, who do you think I’ll get to meet? Will any of your brothers be home?”

“Axe might be. Blaster comes home a lot for laundry, so he’ll probably be around. If we’re lucky, we could run into LJ, or Cudgel. You’ll definitely meet Sword; he’s always home on the weekends. He works in a dig site nearby.” Bow listed off his brothers, trying to remember where in Etheria all of them ended up. After he left home for the Rebellion, it was hard to keep track of his huge family, even with his dads’ weekly letters.

“Your family has such fascinating names.” Glimmer noted.

“It’s a tradition in Lance’s family to name sons after weapons and daughters after ancestors who were powerful warriors. My uncles are named Dagger and Spike while my aunt is Maria.”

“And George just went along with that?”

“That’s what love will do. And now all 12 of my brothers and I have to live with the results.” Bow shook his head, smiling.

“Love is weird.” Glimmer sighed.

“Yeah.” He glanced over at the girl who doubled as his best friend and secret crush. “I guess it is.”

They finally arrived a few minutes later, and Lance and George were waiting by the door.

“Bow!” his dads enveloped him in a crushing hug. “Oh, it’s been too long!”

“I know, dads, I know.” Bow squeaked with little air he had in his lungs. After a moment, he was released and he waved Glimmer forward. “Lance, George, meet Glimmer. My friend from the Rebellion.”

“Your Majesty.” George bowed, and Lance quickly followed.

“Please, none of that.” Glimmer blushed. “It’s just Glimmer.”

“Of course. It’s so good to finally meet you!” Lance gushed. “I managed to round up as many of Bow’s brothers as I could so that you could get the entire family experience. I even found some old baby pictures.”

“Oh boy.” Bow sighed. This seemed like it could get embarrassing real fast.

“Baby pictures, huh? I sense future blackmail.” Glimmer elbowed Bow in the ribs playfully.

“It’s just bubble baths and cute kid things. Nothing like those stories Angella told me about trying to bring Kowl to life with the power of the Moonstone.” Bow shot back. The story about Glimmer’s first stuffed animal was a favorite of Angella’s. Glimmer… not so much.

“Touché.” Glimmer acquiesced as they headed inside.

“So, you said the whole family is going to be here?” Bow asked his parents.

“Almost. Spade and Mace couldn’t make it.” George answered.

“And, um, Elizabeth?” Bow raised an eyebrow. The dads exchanged a look.

“You know the answer to that, Bow. She hardly comes by at all anymore, let alone when someone else is over.” Lance put a hand on Bow’s shoulder.

“Right. Of course.” Bow’s excellent mood soured somewhat. It was true that he had known The Cat wouldn’t be around when someone she didn’t know was in the house, but a small part of him had hoped his dads would be able to wrangle her into the living room for a visit. She was family.

“Who’s Elizabeth?” Glimmer poked Bow to get his attention.

“Just…. an old friend.”

* * *

For Bow’s 17th birthday, he received two important gifts.

“A new shirt.” Bow smiled widely. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Well, I noticed how hot you’ve been getting,” Glimmer explained. Bow secretly hoped she meant hot in two different ways. “So I figured I’d get you something cooler.” He held up the shirt, immediately noting the lack of midriff. He’d always wanted one of these, but his dads never let him wear anything with an exposed stomach—something about decency.

“Thank you, really. This is great.” Bow refolded the shirt and tucked it back in its box. “I’ll put it on as soon as I get back to my room.”

“Right. Wouldn’t want you, you know, ripping off your shirt in front of me.” Glimmer coughed.

“Yep. That would be…. not a thing…. we’d want.” Bow stammered. Was she blushing?

“So…. cake?”

“Cake! Yes.” Bow agreed quickly, pulling a knife arrow out of his quiver. Glimmer pulled the plates out of her bag as he cut them two generous pieces.

They ate in relative silence, just enjoying the beautiful day. It had been Glimmer’s idea to picnic next to the Whispering Woods. He often didn’t take advantage of its convenient location and stunning views. Growing up in the Woods had likely desensitized him to their majesty a bit.

“You have any other plans, birthday boy?” Glimmer asked between bites.

“Well, I-” as Bow worked up the courage to ask Glimmer to spend more time with him, something in the Woods caught his eyes. “I was thinking of going for a walk in the Woods. Just a nice little nature hike.”

“Oh. Okay.” Glimmer looked back down at her cake and took the last bite. “Do you want me to-”

“No, thanks. I’d like to go alone, clear my head a little after so much sugar.” He laughed lightly. Usually, he wouldn’t turn up an opportunity to have more time with just the two of them. Still, he couldn’t miss this even rarer encounter.

“Alright. I’ll see you tonight at dinner, then.” Glimmer gave him a final smile and teleported away. Bow stood up from the little picnic table they ate at looked back into the Woods. The Cat was still there, waiting for him.

“Here to wish me a happy birthday?” he asked as he headed towards the forest, knowing she could hear him even from several feet away. She smirked at him and darted back into the brush. Bow stopped, startled. It had been a long time since she initiated a game of Catch Cat. They’d been tweens when The Cat realized he couldn’t keep up, and they stopped.

On instinct, his feet carried him at top speed into the Woods, chasing her obvious trail of destruction. He caught sight of her waiting for him before she darted away again. As they ran, Bow noticed that The Cat never left his field of vision, though she stayed far ahead of him. She was letting him follow her quite closely. She was leading him somewhere.

Sure enough, after several minutes of dashing through the trees, she disappeared into a clearing and the sound of her purposely breaking twigs under her feet stopped. Bow busted in after her before he managed to slow down. He put his hands on his knees and bent over, coming down from the endorphins after his run.

“So, what are you trying to show me?” he asked, slightly winded. When he looked up, The Cat was sitting on the other edge of the clearing, a giant glowing sword separating them. “What is that?”

Cat waved him forward, suddenly serious. He hesitated.

“You know me, I’m all about sword safety.” Bow reasoned. “Are you sure this thing is safe?” Cat tilted her head at him. “I’m not doubting you. I’m just saying, this is a glowing sword you found in the middle of nowhere.”

Her ears drooped.

“Okay, okay. Don’t pout; you know I can’t stand it.” cursing his weak will, Bow slowly walked up to the sword with his hand outstretched. “It’s good to see you, by the way.” He stopped a few inches away from the blade’s handle.

The Cat nodded. “I worry about you. And I’ve only seen you a few times since I left home.” His hand trembled, fingertips growing closer to the golden metal. “But you’re still family. And I trust you, Cat.” He lunged forward and grabbed it, pulling the sword out of the ground with a quick yank.

Nothing happened. Thank gods.

“What do I do with this now?” he twirled it in the air a few times. “Is it some kind of artifact?”

The Cat shrugged. It would fit her personality if she saw the thing out in the Woods, thought it was cool, and went to tell Bow because he would also like it. She was always looking for little interesting things other abandoned.

“I guess I can take it back to Angella and see if she knows anything.” Bow decided. He looked away from the sword and shot Cat a smile. “Thank you for the gift. I assume that’s what this is.” She nodded. “It’s great. And besides, any visit from my favorite sis is automatically a great birthday present.”

Cat stood up onto all fours and shook the leaves off her tattered pants.

“The offer from all those years ago still stand.” Bow said half-heartedly, sensing she was about to make her exit. Cat smiled softly and shook her head. “I know. I just thought I’d try.” He admitted. “I’ll see you again soon, okay? No more of this disappearing for years at a time thing.” Bow told her firmly. The Cat chuckled and crossed a claw over her heart.

“Good. Love you too, Cat.” And one of the first times, it was Bow that walked away from her.

* * *

It all started with the Sword. Everything got better, and then it got worse.

People from all over the kingdoms flocked to Brightmoon when they learned the Sword of Protection had been discovered. Everyone who was anyone wanted to see if they were the new She-Ra. In the end, nobody could use the Sword’s powers, so it was sealed away in the vaults.

However, with so many people flooding Brightmoon, the Horde started gaining ground, prompting the Princess Alliance to be reinstated. The War grew more intense, but Bow was happy with so many new friends. Even on the battlefield, friendship bloomed.

When they lost Entrapta, things got as bad as they had ever been. When the plans about the Portal came to light, they got even worse. Then, it was activated, and before Bow knew it, Glimmer was Queen. Everything happened so fast and spiraled so far out of control. But he didn’t have time to make sense of it all. Glimmer needed him.

“How you doing?” Bow pushed the door slightly open and peered inside at his friend. She was sitting in the throne room, in the dark again. After the coronation, she locked herself inside and hadn’t come in a few days. Bow was getting worried.

“Bad.” Glimmer croaked.

“I know.” He moved inside and closed the door behind him, Glimmer’s faint glow as his only light.

“Then why’d you ask?” she growled.

“It’s what you do when you’re checking on someone.” Bow shrugged.

“Why are you here, Bow? You’re the Rebellion’s new commander. Don’t you have things to do?”

“Like I said. I’m checking on you.”

“I’m the Queen now. I can do anything I want and what I want is for people to stop questioning my sanity!” she banged her fist on the throne’s armrest.

“No one is questioning your sanity, Glimmer.” Bow assured her.

“You don’t know. You haven’t heard what people are saying behind our backs.” She hissed.

“Glimmer, no one is questioning you. They’re just worried.”

“People are laughing at me! ‘Poor little Glimmer, couldn’t even handle a commander’s job, I wonder how fast she’ll fail at being Queen.’ ‘The Horde is sure to take over now.’ ‘Should we evacuate today or wait a week?’”

“Who did you hear say that?” Bow challenged gently.

“I-” Glimmer squinted and rubbed her head. “I can’t remember. The kitchen staff, maybe? Or the guards?”

“Is it possible you’re, well-”

“What, do you think I’m hearing things?” Glimmer accused.

“No, no.” Bow held up his hands, even though she couldn’t see him in the dark. “I just think you may have misheard, or maybe misunderstood what they meant.”

“So everything is my fault, huh?”

“Glimmer, come on. You know that isn’t what I meant.” A firmer touch was likely needed here. People had been walking on eggshells around her since Angella….. was trapped. Maybe this was the moment for tough love.

“You don’t trust me.” Glimmer curled into a ball. “No one does. Mom didn’t trust me, and she was right. I was the one that reformed the Princess Alliance. Look what happened. Entrapta wouldn’t have been left behind, the Portal wouldn’t have been built, and my mother would still be here.”

“You’re wrong.” She looked up in shock.

“Excuse you?”

“None of this is your fault. You don’t need to punish yourself for something that you didn’t cause.” Bow kept his own feelings bottled. He knew he was responsible for this. If he hadn’t taken the Sword from the Woods then the Portal machine would never have been able to exist. He should have just been a bad brother that one time and rejected The Cat’s gift.

But there was no way any of them could have known where that single decision would lead.

“If I was just a better commander, I could have stopped them from stealing the Sword. I could have stopped them from pulling the lever! I could have stayed behind instead of Mom!” Glimmer started to cry, and Bow took his hand off the door to go to her.

“You can’t focus on the past like that. You did your best, even if this is how it turned out.” He stood tentatively in front of her, hesitating on whether she would appreciate a hug right then.

“My best wasn’t good enough.” She whispered.

“Sometimes it isn’t. But we try anyway.” He made his decision and draped himself over Glimmer in a hug. She sniffled and stiffened but eventually melted into it.

“How am I supposed to live with that?” she asked.

“Day by day. That’s the best way to live.” Bow rubbed circles on her back like his dads did for him when he cried.

“Thank you for being here. It means so much.”

“Of course.”

“Never leave me, please.”

“There’s nowhere I’d rather be than with you.”

“Why?” Glimmer untucked her face from her knees and looked up at him.

“Because…..” he thought for a minute. “Because I love you.”

She smiled.

* * *

“You mean to tell me you have a sister I’ve never even heard of?” Glimmer demanded as she drew a spell circle over Bow’s leg. He shrugged sheepishly. “Oh, don’t be cute. I’m mad at you.”

“That’s the best time to be cute. It makes it harder for you to be angry.” He chuckled.

“Dang it, you know me too well.” She sighed, finishing the spell.

“It’s true. You think I’m adorable.”

“You are adorable.”

“And you have excellent taste in men.” Bow grinned. Glimmer rolled her eyes but smiled back.

“You are so lucky I love you.”

“That I am. Luckiest man alive.”

“And you’re distracting me.”

“You’re so smart.”

“Bow, come on.”

“Fine, fine.” He acquiesced. “What do you want to know?”

“Why your sister is some kind of cryptid-”

“She’s not a cryptid!” Bow defended. Glimmer looked startled. “Sorry. I get protective.”

“That I noticed. You really shouldn’t be. She basically tore out that guy’s throat; she can take care of yourself.” She ran the spell circle up and down his leg, the flesh knitting itself back together. It was kind of gross to watch, so he leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

“The Cat is not an animal. She’s just a person who lives a natural lifestyle. You’ve meet hybrids before, I’m not sure how she’s any different.” That was a lie, but it wasn’t a terrible point.

“That cat isn’t like any hybrid I’ve ever seen. Usually, they’re so friendly and kind of pushovers, to be honest. They wouldn’t be caught dead on all fours like that, or attacking people.” Glimmer explained.

“That soldier was going to kill us. We’re lucky she was nearby.” Bow had been so relieved when Cat appeared. He knew if he called, she would come, but it was still scary. He almost died just a few hours ago.

“You were calling for her. Don’t think I overlooked that.”

“I knew that if she knew I was in danger, she’d appear. Cat’s really reliable like that. She knows the Whispering Woods better than anyone else. She probably knew the moment we entered the Woods and was just deciding whether to reveal herself to you.”

“I didn’t do anything. I’m not sure why she would be hiding.” Glimmer said defensively.

“Cat hates Sapiens. I think she’s scared of them, honestly. She just a kid when Halfmoon fell, but I’m sure she remembers. I never thought she would reveal herself to anyone outside of the family. She still doesn’t come out around some of my older brothers.” To this day, Sword had never seen The Cat in person. If it weren’t for Bow’s dads' vouching that she existed, he likely wouldn’t believe Bow. “I guess she trusts you now too.”

“What do you think that means? Is she coming to war meetings now or something?”

“Oh, definitely not.” Bow shut down quickly. “But she may visit you sometimes if you’re in the Woods. I go for nature walks once or twice a month, and every once and a while she’ll pop up.”

“Exciting.”

“Sarcasm. Great. You spend too much time with Mermista. That much snark in one person has to be dangerous.”

“Don’t be jealous.” Glimmer joked.

“Yeah, because she’s going to steal you away from me.”

“If that happens, I’m sure you and Sea Hawk can sail happily off into the sunset.”

“I would be an excellent first mate.”

“You’re basically the first mate of this Rebellion. What did that soldier call you? My ‘right-hand?’ Pretty accurate.”

“What would you do without me?”

“Date Mermista, obviously.”

“You two would kill each other.”

“It would fun until then.”

Bow nailed her in the head with a pillow right as she finished healing his leg.

“Pillow fights, really? I thought we had evolved beyond things like that.” Glimmer scoffed from the ground.

“One is never too old to engage in fluffy combat.” Bow cried, hefting his weapon.

“Whoa, whoa, ceasefire. You can’t just attack your queen.” Glimmer held up her hands.

“Fine. But only because I don’t want to be tried for treason.” He dropped the pillow.

“I would never try you for treason. Your puppy dog eyes would win over any jury.”

“True, but only use my powers for good.” Bow sat back down on the chair, and Glimmer cuddled up to him.

“And how lucky I am for that.”

“Your Majesty!” Of course, Juliet chose that moment to run into the room like her hair was on fire.

“Yes, General?” Glimmer tried and failed to contain her sigh as she extracted herself from her boyfriend.

“Two Horde soldiers have just arrived in the Castle and surrendered. They want an audience with you.”

“I don’t take audiences with random prisoners. And I certainly don’t cave to the demands of Horde officers.” Glimmer frowned. “Why are you alerting me of this? It’s hardly an emergency.”

“Well, one of them is Princess Entrapta,” Juliet said. Bow stood up in an instant. “The other is a high-ranking Force Captain.”

“Why is she here? Why now?” he was already preparing to head down to the spare room for a chat.

“They say they have information about the Horde’s plans and they wish to help us stop it.”

“What did they tell you?” Glimmer asked, gesturing for Bow to wait.

“Entrapta said she discovered something that could end the War, and if we don’t, an army will arrive from the stars and destroy us.” Juliet’s face was grim. “They both seemed…. Frightened.”

“Whatever can scare a Force Captain and Entrapta can’t be good.” Bow grimaced.

“Just when I thought I had a moment of peace.” Glimmer muttered under her breath. Bow’s mood wilted at her dejectedness. The war goes on outside their bedroom, he supposed. “Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't stop thinking about how Bow wears glasses in the Portal reality......
> 
> More Glimbow for y'all with a nice side of plot. This is my first time writing Glimbow, but I talked to some authors who specialize in that ship, so I'm feeling alright about my efforts. This is actually the first mlw I've written in forever, fanfic or otherwise, so it was kinda weird to write "boyfriend" after so long doing femslash. She-Ra has so many good mlw ships, tho, so I will probably be doing more of them in the future.  
> I tried to fill as many plotholes that would open up without a She-Ra, but let me know if there are any gaping ones I may have missed and I'll do my best to address them in the final chapter.  
> As always, please leave me some love in the comments and kudos and I'll see you all soon! Thanks for reading!


	3. The First One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Prime came to Etheria, Bow and Glimmer lost everything. But at least they know they can count on Bow's benevolent guardian and sister, The Cat.  
> Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are! Last installment of Wildheart! I love this chapter and I'm really happy with how it turned out. This little saga has been a labor of love and it may not be popular, but I've really enjoyed writing it. I hope you all like it half as much as I do.

The First One

The Heart of Etheria was a bad idea. Bow knew that from the beginning. But Glimmer became obsessed with it. The Heart seemed to be the answer to all their problems, and no matter how Bow tried to convince his girlfriend that nothing was ever that easy, Glimmer wouldn’t hear it. All she saw was an end to the War staring her in the face, waiting to be used.

But there are no easy answers. The Heart couldn’t be activated without a She-Ra, and even if it could, Entrapta’s simulations showed a devastating outcome for the world. All the Heart did was balance the planet, get Scorpia captured, and bring _him_ here. 

And with him came the chips.

“I don’t think we’re going in the right direction.” Glimmer guessed for the fifth time in the past hour. 

“We just need to get away from camp.” Bow reminded her. He wasn’t happy about being lost in the Whispering Woods either, but it was better than nothing. It was better than being captured like so many of their allies. “Once we’re far enough away, we can focus on a destination.”

“What about your dads’ house? It’s in the Woods, so maybe Horde Prime can’t get to it?” Glimmer offered.

“If we’re being trailed, I don’t want to lead anything to the Library. They’re dads; I can’t bring a threat to the house and risk them getting hurt.” Bow wanted to leave them out of this as much as he could. The entire planet was being taken over, but the Woods were well-protected, and his dads had The Cat if they were in danger. At least, he hoped so.

“What about Mystacor? They have protection spells.” Bow countered.

“With Aunt Casta chipped, it wouldn’t be safe. Lacking a head-sorceress weakens the defenses too much.” Glimmer’s face darkened with repressed devastation. She was holding it together as best she could, but Bow knew she would curl up in his chest the moment they were alone. The loss of her aunt, even temporarily until they could figure out how to free the captured members of the Rebellion, was too much after her mother. The wound was still so recent.

“Is there any other pockets of the Rebellion outside of the conquered kingdoms? Thaymor? Elberon? Seaworthy?” Bow tried again. 

“We lost touch with Thaymor a week ago, and Seaworthy went under when Salineas.” Glimmer shook her head. 

“So we’re completely alone, then.”

“Hardly.” Bow and Glimmer whirled around to see a clone approaching them from behind. “You didn’t think you could run away, did you, Your Majesty? Prime sees all.”

“All you’re going to see is our dust!” Glimmer grabbed Bow’s wrist and took off in a run, surprising him.

“Come back and face your fates!” the clone rushed after them, but he was thankfully much slower. After several twists and turns that took them off the worn path, which they probably shouldn’t have been on anyway, they couldn’t hear the clone anymore. They had a second to think of a plan.

“What do we do?” Bow whispered, slowing down some.

“I don’t know! We’re in the middle of the Whispering Woods with no backup and a possible barrage of clones after us.” Glimmer hissed back. 

“Well, well.” A voice came from over their heads in the trees. Glimmer and Bow both skidded to a stop as a figure dropped onto a branch in front of them. “If it isn’t my favorite brother?”

“Cat?” Bow’s jaw dropped as The Cat made herself comfortable on the branch. “You…. you’re talking.”

“Why didn’t you tell me she can talk?” Glimmer elbowed Bow.

“I mean, I assumed she could, but she just…. doesn’t.” Bow gathered his wits slightly. “Why have you never said you can talk?”

“You never asked.” The Cat’s eyes locked on something behind them. “Excuse me.” she swung off the branch by her tail, launching over Bow and Glimmer’s heads and landing on the clone that had been chasing them.

“Get off!” the clone growled and wrestled with Cat, turning in circles in a bid to shake her off. She stuck her fingers in the hole on his neck, and he went rigid before falling over like a deactivated bot. She climbed off him and turned back to face the startled couple.

“Do you want to stand around and wait for more, or do you want to get some cover?” The Cat raised an eyebrow.

“Cover please.” Glimmer said immediately.

“Follow me then, Your Majesty.” The Cat headed into the trees, walking on two legs. Bow frowned.

“This is weird.” He muttered when she was out of hearing range.

“You trust The Cat with your life, Bow, and she’s offering to take us somewhere safe. Is this really a time to be skeptical?” Glimmer reasoned.

“You’re right.”

“Obviously. Now let’s go.” She grabbed his wrist and pulled him after The Cat.

“So, The Cat,” Glimmer started after they got close. 

“C’yra, actually.” The Cat offered.

“You have a name?” Bow asked curiously.

“You didn’t think it ‘The Cat’ did you, or gods forbid ‘Elizabeth?’” she chuckled. Bow flushed.

“Why have you never told me before?” 

“Have you ever met someone who starts calling you something and you don’t correct them, and then by the time you work up the nerve, it would be way too awkward?” Cat sighed.

“Can’t say I have.”

“Oh, I did once.” Glimmer put in. “One of Perfuma’s friends always calls me ‘Shimmer’ for some reason, and Perfuma didn’t correct her, so I didn’t want to correct her, and it was just a whole thing.”

“Exactly.”

“We’ve known each other for fourteen years. You could have brought it up.” Bow did his best to contain himself. She was acting very strange and he was doing his best to be a good supportive brother.

“Never came up naturally, you know?” Cat shrugged. Bow bit the inside of his mouth. “Anyway, we’re almost there. You two were lucky enough to be in danger right next to my house.” She looked straight ahead and picked up her pace slightly. At the same time, Bow slowed down.

They had entered a small clearing, which was quite common in the Whispering Woods, but what caught his eye was the dozens of things hanging from the trees. Clone helmets, bot parts, white Horde uniforms like the one Cat was wearing, even blasters, all dangling in the vines. Before long, they reached a cave with two of Prime’s drones on pikes framing the mouth. _Keep Out Horde_ was scrawled over the entrance in what Bow really hoped was not blood.

“I know, a little dramatic, but it does the trick.” Cat shrugged, noticing Bow’s stare.

“A little?” Glimmer mumbled under her breath.

“Come, it’s perfectly safe inside.” Cat invited, pushing aside the massive stone covering the cave’s opening as a kind of door. Glimmer followed, but Bow hung back for a moment. Something was off, and it wasn’t the morbid display around the cave. That had Cat written all over it. 

He focused on the broken branches around the cave, the scoff marks through the dirt, the trail of claws and craters made by energy cannons that scorched the trunks of nearby trees. There was a fight, one that The Cat clearly won or she wouldn’t have been able to rescue them, but that still left a noticeable mark on the environment. What happened?

“Bow?” Glimmer called. He reluctantly headed inside, still thinking.

“Do you like my humble little abode?” Cat asked, proudly surveying the little cave. It was filled with random assortments of items, reminding Bow of the Library if it were underground and disorganized. She really was related to Lance and George. “It’s not much, but it’s home.” She nodded to herself, assured that everything was in order.

“Look at all this stuff.” Glimmer wandered around, picking things up at random. The Cat didn’t seem to mind. “Is this just a pile of rocks?”

“Oh, rocks. Just like when we meet.” Bow rushed over and checked out the impressive collection.

“Hmm?” Cat frowned a little, having picked up an old Force Captain’s badge from a mountain of Horde tech. 

“When we were kids. You found the rock I’d abandoned and brought it back to me.” Bow prompted.

“Oh, yes.” She tapped her forehead and gave Bow an apologetic grin. “I remember now.” Again, weird. How did you she forget who they meet? Sure, it was a long time ago, but it was an important memory.

“Would you like anything?” Cat fiddled with the badge until it started to blink red and then dropped it back on the pile. “I have some snacks and beverages. This is my first time hosting, and I’d like to do a good job.”

“We’re alright.” Glimmer stood next to a strange red helmet mounted on the far wall. It was broken entirely in half but held together by the spikes driven into the cave to support it. 

“Are you sure? I insist.” Cat folded her arms behind her back and rocked on her heels. 

“Do you have the good ripe blueberries?” Bow perked up a little. The Cat knew the best blueberry picking spots and brought them to the Library when the berries were at their best.

“Let me check.” She walked through a gap in the cave wall, presumably toward her food stores.

“She’s being so strange,” Bow muttered to himself when she was out of sight. “I can’t get over it.”

“Yeah, she’s walking on her hind legs like a real girl.” Glimmer tapped the red mask, infatuated by it.

“Glimmer….” Bow chided.

“Sorry.” She turned away. “But you have to admit, she showed up in the nick of time. With everyone captured, we should be happy that she hasn’t been caught, or worse.”

“Of course I’m happy, but this is all so weird. The talking, and the walking, and the smiling. I don’t get it.” Bow rubbed his chin.

“You know, you’re usually Mr. Optimist.” Glimmer pointed it. “Is this bothering you that much?”

“Well-” a loud crash came from the deeper in the cave.

“C’yra?” Glimmer called. No answer.

“I’ll check on her. You stay here; the door should have someone guarding it.” Bow reasoned, already speed-walking towards the crack Cat went through.

The gap was narrow, but it quickly widened into a stony hallway, glowing stones at even intervals for light. It was a nice setup and cemented the idea that The Cat had lived here for a while. This was her home as much as the Library was Bow’s. 

“Ca- C’yra?” he corrected himself, calling out as he reached another room in the cave. It seemed to be a kitchen, with a pile of glowing coal in one corner and some curing meat in the other. A basket of blueberries sat next to the entrance Bow emerged from. He picked one up and popped it in his mouth. 

The Cat was nowhere to be seen, but Bow saw another similar opening on the far wall. She was likely in another room even deeper down. This place was bigger than the original fissure he had thought it to be.

“Hello?” he yelled, hoping for an answer. When one didn’t come, he picked up the blueberry basket and started toward the next room, only for several berries to fall out. “Can’t waste food.” Bow dropped the basket again and leaned down to pick up the fleeing fruit when something caught his eye.

Right under one of the lights, something was scratched into the wall. He leaned in, curious. It was a small drawing of a diamond-shaped object with a dot in the middle. Little lightning bolts came from it. The doodle wasn’t like The Cat’s other drawings of animals or scenes from their childhood. This had a menacing aura to it. 

He ran his hand along the drawing and saw something was written above it, etched messily into the walls.

_ DON’T TRUST ME _

“What…..”

“Hello, Bow!” Cat’s voice startled him from behind. He yelped and turned around quickly. “Come to help out?” 

“Are you alright?” Bow asked worriedly. The Cat was hunched over and leaning against the wall with one hand clutching her side. 

“I’m fine, brother.” Cat grinned awkwardly. “Just a little unused to staying upright so long.”

“Do whatever is comfortable. You shouldn’t be hurting yourself.” Bow told her.

“What are you looking at?” Cat brushed off, straightening but keeping a hand on the wall.

“Why did you write this?” Bow moved so that she could see the message as she stumbled over to where he was. She squinted at the message and laughed.

“That’s nothing.”

“What does it mean?” Bow pressed. Cat threw her head back and laughed harder. “Stop laughing!”

“Why should I?” she tilted her head back down. Bow’s heart stopped at the bright green eyes staring into his brown ones. “Your ignorance is amusing me.” her voice was layered with Horde Prime’s as her eyes glowed with white pupils.

“No.” Bow whimpered.

“I suspected she may have left you a message. Crafty kitty.” Cat stalked forward, crowding Bow against the wall. “Took me days of siege for her to run out of water, but I knew it would be worth it. You are so predictable, Bow, returning to the forest after an attack on your camp and blindly trusting your little sister.”

“Cat, I’m sorry.” Tears welled in his eyes.

“Do not be.” Cat’s eyes went solid green and she spoke in her own voice. “Prime has given me peace, something I have not known since my home was purified. I’m happy.”

“You have to snap out of this now, Cat. I know you can.” Bow pleaded. Cat giggled and smashed her fist into the wall, barely missing Bow’s head. He scrambled away, ending up further into the kitchen. She moved in front of the exit, grinning manically.

“My true brothers are on their way, Bow. A force large enough to overpower you and the Queen. You will come into the light by force if you resist.” The Cat warned, surging forward in another attack. Bow ducked out of the way at the last second, and Cat’s strike once again hit the wall. Blood dripped down her knuckles.

“You don’t have to do this.” Bow held out his hands as she charged again, attacking with all the finesse of one of the giant Whispering Woods creatures. Bow knew that if she wanted to, The Cat could have gutted him by now. She, or more likely Horde Prime, was toying with him.

“Save your words, dear brother.” She slashed at him, and Bow spun out of the way, kicking her away from him at the same time. She slammed against the wall and Bow instinctively notched an arrow. He needed to get to the exit. He needed to get to Glimmer and run before the Horde showed up. 

Bow’s fingers quivered on the arrow aimed at his sister. She got back up and coiled her body, ready for another pounce. This was his chance, his last one for a clear shot. The Cat convulsed and her eyes changed briefly back to their original color, her expression morphing into one of horror. His hesitated. 

She jumped at him, eyes going back to green in an instant. The arrow sailed past her ear and imbedded into her message before The Cat tackled him, razor claws inches from his throat. He held her back, but from the expression on her face, she knew she’d won.

“Prime sees all, brother.” She laughed, the horrible sound grating on Bow’s nerves.

“See this.” The Cat looked up just in time to see Glimmer appear in the entryway and smack Cat over the head with her staff. The impact landed squarely on the back of her neck, causing the now-visible chip to spark as Cat twitched unconsciously.

“Perfect timing.” Bow beamed as Glimmer helped him to his feet.

“The evil cackling was a serious tip-off.” She shrugged, looking down at The Cat. Bow wanted to cry again.

“What do we do? She said there are clones and maybe bots on the way. We can’t stay, but I can’t leave her.” Bow said, panic in his voice.

“We can’t take her. She’s chipped. If she wakes up, we’re doomed.” Glimmer reasoned.

“We have to take her with us.” Bow insisted.

“And what? Lug her all over the planet while we’re on the lamb?” Glimmer rubbed her forehead. “Bow, I’m so sorry, but she’s one of Prime’s puppets. Nothing bad is going to happen to her.”

“Except for the being mind-controlled part!”

“Well, what other choice do we have? We can’t drag her around while she’s unconscious, and she’ll be dangerous if she wakes up.”

“I don’t know, Glimmer. It doesn’t seem like there are any good options right now.” Bow fretted.

“Well, we can’t stay here and deliberate. They’ll be here any second.” Glimmer crossed her arms.

“I _can’t_ leave her.” Bow repeated. “Cat is family.” He looked Glimmer in the eye, and she softened.

“Then I guess she’s my family too.” she sighed. With a groan, she grabbed one of Cat’s arms. “Grab a limb and let’s go. This place is gonna be crawling any minute.” Bow perked up.

“You won’t regret this.” Probably.

“I’m holding you to that.” Glimmer promised. “Now get a move on before it’s us against an army with only an unconscious hybrid to defend ourselves with.” Bow grabbed Cat’s legs and hailed her onto his back. She was thinner than he remembered. 

“I love you.” Bow said seriously as they headed back to the mouth of the cave. 

“I know.”

* * *

She stepped into the grass, taking in the scene. The view was beautiful, more so than any other world Prime had ravaged. This place was still salvageable, still could be saved from his incinerating grip. But before then, she had to do her job.

She walked through the little prairie, taking it in as her portal closed behind her. Etheria, an aptly named world. She could see why her ancestors had loved it so. It was gorgeous, filled with fresh air and abundant resources. Once Prime’s hands were wrenched from the planet, those resources would belong to Eternia again, and peace would spread across the universe.

She looked forward to the great days to come, all thanks to this world and what Mara left behind when she nearly destroyed it. Yes, she would find the Sword, and when she did, this world would be saved. Mara’s memory and the Council could both be sated.

“What a lovely little planet.” Adora said to herself with a serene smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that's it! That's the end of the Wildheart Saga. For a while. Please let me know what you thought of all the fun twists and what, if anything, you'd be interested in seeing when the Saga eventually returns.  
> Ta-ta for now, folks!


End file.
